CONNECT WITH ME

Press Launch:Cohen Lifestyle Philippines

It is more frustrating on how I spend time deciding on my outfit every time we go out. Prior to my two kids, it only takes ten minutes tops deciding what to wear but now it is doubled. I know most of us women can relate to this but the primary reason why I spend more time dressing up is because I have already hard time fitting on some of my pre-pregnant clothes. Okay, please don’t be hard on me. I am currently working on that right now. I thought it won’t be much of a deal for me but as I scan our family photos, I can’t say that I am happy with how I look now. It’s just so dreadful.

I am still blessed that I didn’t have hard time conceiving. I had two kids despite the hullabaloos and the rollercoaster of emotions all throughout my pregnancy. But what about some mothers who could hardly conceive? I could just imagine how hard it is for them to have been in that situation.

Motherhood is one of the greatest privileges that come with being a woman. But not everyone finds it easy to conceive, and medical science reveals that the risk for infertility especially runs high among the obese.

“Weight loss is the cornerstone in the treatment of obesity-associated infertility. Every 0.1 unit increase in the waist-to-hip ratio of women decreases the probability of conception by 30% per menstrual cycle. This is due to the imbalance in hormones leading to problems in ovulation, fertilization and implantation. In addition, obese women who do get pregnant are more vulnerable to pregnancy complications such as miscarriage, stillbirths, preeclampsia, and gestational diabetes,” explained Dr. Angel Bandola, an obstetrician-gynecologist at University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital and St. Luke’s Medical Center and Cohen’s Lifestyle Centre’s executive director.

Enter the Cohen’s Lifestyle Program, a rapid weight loss and wellness solution through nutrition based on a person’s unique blood profile. Through its holistic approach to beating obesity, the Cohen program has helped many aspiring moms lose the flab, experience the joys of motherhood, and stay in shape after giving birth. Without requiring exercise, injection, or intake of pills, the program delivers results, with clients averaging a loss of up to 8 to 10 lbs a month.

A wish granted

The stories of “Cohen mommies” (women who credit the Cohen program for their successful pregnancy) often begin with disappointment and desperation, but end in pleasant surprise and profuse gratitude.

Cohen mommies sharing their stories

One such mom is Cheryl Alcantara: “We have been praying to get pregnant. My seven year-old daughter had been wishing for a sibling ever since she was four, with birthday candles, tooth fairies, or Santa Claus.”

Cheryl Alcantara

The wish was finally granted after she lost 51 lbs in six months through the Cohen program: her menstrual period became regular, and soon enough, she tested positive for pregnancy. And despite being over 35 years old and more prone to complications, she was cleared of hypertension and gestational diabetes.

Conceiving through Cohen

Another Cohen mommy is Love del Rosario, 32. It took three years, two infertility specialists and several work-ups before she got pregnant with her eldest, especially since she was obese and was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).

Love Del Rosario

At 168 lbs, she found it difficult to conceive again. But through Cohen, she shed 58 lbs in less than six months. As soon as she reached her goal weight, she got pregnant: “I never thought it was possible for me to get pregnant without a fertility work-up!”

Like her, Leah Alingog, 34, was diagnosed with PCOS before she got married, which led to great difficulty conceiving. But after losing over 20 lbs in three months, she got pregnant without going through any work-up.

Leah Alingog

For her part, Imelda Acidera, then a mom of three, enrolled in the Cohen’s Lifestyle Program to lose the flab. But when she shed 32 lbs in four months, she was able to conceive unexpectedly, more than eight years after the birth of her third child. Now, she is on her way to being slim again, and has been conscientiously following the Cohen’s lifestyle to shed the post-partum fat, or the “baby weight.”

Ma. Imelda Acidera

Feeling blessed

The gift of motherhood is one that Cohen mommies cherish every day. As Love shares, “I feel blessed being able to love them, and discover who they are, and be a witness to the kind of persons they will be. It’s one adventure after another.” Leah, meanwhile, says, “My favorite part of being a mother is the everyday learning experience with my baby.”

As a bonus, the Cohen program has also been aiding Cohen mommies in losing the baby weight, by teaching them to watch what they eat. As Imelda explains, “Now, I know what food to choose and I have become more conscious of my eating habits,” adding that she had even acquired a more acute sense of taste, allowing her to truly enjoy every bite.

Finally, Cheryl says: “The Cohen lifestyle is about the discipline that we take with us even after the program. The meal plan teaches us about better food choices, thereby allowing these meals to be our medicine…I changed my wardrobe, bought nice-fitting clothes and started wearing heels!”

By the looks of it, Cheryl, Love, Leah, and Imelda have not just become moms, but moms in great shape, thanks to the Cohen’s Lifestyle Program. As Dr. Angel shares, “Our mission at the Cohen’s Lifestyle Centre is to help people adopt a lifestyle change, to become better, happier versions of themselves. To be able to let these women experience motherhood, and retain their figure after giving birth, is such a great blessing.”